Sea Kings, Sailors clash

They are friends, former teammates, neighbors, even relatives. But as much as they share in common, those who play football at Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor high schools can be separated in quantitative terms when they hit the football field.

For the last seven seasons, at least, the Sailors are about 22 points better than the Sea Kings each time the two teams have squared off.

The arch rivals reconvene tonight at 7 at Newport Harbor for the 45th edition of the Battle of the Bay, which has, for more than a decade, been more of a beat-down than a showdown.

The Sailors (2-0) enter the nonleague clash favored, once again, having won the last seven (by an average margin of 21.7 points) and 11 of the last 12 against CdM.

With its recent dominance, Newport Harbor has built a 32-12 advantage in the series.

The Sea Kings (1-2), ranked No. 8 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, have lost two straight to stout competition, which has left them slightly banged up.

Despite the three-touchdown differential, recent Battle of the Bay contests have retained the rivalry’s reputation for physical play.

Newport Harbor, which eventually won the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship last season, struggled to come away with a 14-0 triumph at Orange Coast College.

“It was like pulling teeth getting in the end zone against those guys,” said Sailors’ Coach Jeff Brinkley, who is 14-7 in the rivalry, including a pair of meetings in 1992, the latter a Newport victory in the CIF Division IV semifinals.

Opponents might compare the task of facing the Sailors’ defense to a more painful procedure this season.

Newport Harbor has yet to allow a point in victories over former Sea View League rivals Aliso Niguel and Irvine.

“They only had two starters back [on defense], but they just kind of reloaded,” said CdM Coach Dick Freeman, 1-10 as head coach against the Tars, including the 1995 season when he was the interim head man after Week Two.

Both coaches downplay the significance of the streak.

Brinkley is famous for his one-game-at-a-time emphasis, while Freeman chose a similar phrase when discussing reminders about his program’s recent Back Bay futility.

“Everybody brings [the streak] up,” Freeman said. “But the last couple of years, we’ve played pretty well against Newport. You watch last year’s film, and you see what a good job we did on defense. [The Sailors] have new people and we have new people. We’re just taking things one year at a time.”

Among the new CdM faces is senior quarterback Taylor Hughes, a Mater Dei transfer who has triggered an explosive passing game thus far.

Hughes has completed 35 of 60 passes for 712 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also added running to his repertoire, gaining 66 yards on eight carries the last two games.

“[The Sea Kings] threw the heck out of the ball last week [301 passing yards in a loss to Troy],” Brinkley said. “And I’m just as impressed with the way [Hughes] scrambled, as the way he threw. He’s a playmaker.”

The Sea Kings have relied on Hughes to make most of their plays, offensively. Their ground game has averaged a modest 139.3 yards per game.

CdM’s leading rushers are junior tailback Erik Rask (144 yards on 22 carries) and senior tailback Will Brown (137 yards and one TD on 25 carries).

Hughes’ passing targets will be diminished, due to injury. Senior Hunt Rychel (seven catches for 209 yards and three TDs), is out, Freeman said, after suffering a concussion against Troy.

In addition, senior Steven Hillgren, who leads the team with nine catches for 222 yards and one TD, has been experiencing back spasms that Freeman expects will cut into the receiver-cornerback’s two-way duty. Hillgren, who has 12 career interceptions, is not scheduled to start on defense.

“His back has been tightening up,” Freeman said. “He’ll play, but we’re trying to find ways to give him a rest.”

Junior tight end Ali Meshkin has four catches for 65 yards and two TDs for the Sea Kings.

Newport Harbor’s offense has relied on a solid ground attack, led by junior tailback Ben Frazier. Frazier has rushed for 237 yards and four TDs on 52 carries in his first two varsity starts.

The Sailors alternate senior quarterbacks Kevin Williams and Stephen Peterson, a transfer from St. Francis. Williams played the first and third quarters against Aliso and handled the second and fourth quarters against Irvine.

The rotation is expected to continue, with Williams getting the start tonight.

Williams is 10 for 15 for 82 yards and a TD, while Peterson is eight of 16 for 88 yards and one TD. Neither has thrown an interception, helping the Tars build a plus-three turnover margin.

Senior Jarrett Daniel, a returning All-CIF performer, is the Tars’ leading receiver with five catches for 69 yards and one TD.